Lawn Dart sim night: Il2 1946 - FRIDAY NIGHT 8PM EST!
With the recent addition of IL2 to GOG I'm interested in putting together a night where the simmers in the community can jump on Vent and either set up a co-op mission or invade one of the many active dogfight servers. Here's What you'll need:
IL2 Sturmovik 1946 (patched up to 4.08m, it's what the majority of servers are currently running)
Hyperlobby server browser (found here) . When installing Hyperlobby be sure to set the game to "Forgotten battles", this is where the IL2 servers are currently listed.
A Joystick: The X-52 HOTAS is probably the best bang for your buck, and can be found for around 150 bucks pretty much anywhere, if not, any joystick with a twist rudder and throttle on the base will do. The Sidewinder FFB is my favourite non-HOTAS stick.
Ventrilo: I assume you all know about this.
Recommended:
The TrackIR is as essential to me as a stick when flying, allowing you to use minute head movements to look about your cockpit. A new version of the TIR was just released, and since the Sim community is full of folks with money/time on their hands, I expect an influx of older versions to be sold through your favourite second hand website very soon. I can't recommend this product enough, it totally completes the experience. Added bonus is that it works great with ARMA 2!
*edit* Here's a link to 20 bucks off the new one if you are interested in buying, I'm still using the TIR 4 and am quite happy with that, so if you want to save some cash I still recommend going that route.
It's no secret that IL2 is getting to be a little dated, what with the original game released 8 years ago. Recently modders found a way to implement a variety of upgrades, including sound, texture, and effects without breaking the online play. As an added bonus there's a ton of new cockpits for planes that were originally not flyable, including the B17, PBN, and TBM! You will need to install the 4.09m patch for the unified installer to work, but it comes with a version switcher that will easily swap versions without needing 2 installs. The amount of content is absolutely stunning, I definitely recommend checking it out.
So here's what I propose. A friday evening meet up on vent, we can either find an empty server to practice take-offs, landings, and general dogfighting, or if the majority are comfortable we can jump right in.
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
I should have bought this when it was on sale on Steam.
Certis wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:
<+katisu> Q-Stone is an internet genius
Il2 for 10 bucks
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
What night are you thinking Stylez?
Homepage / Twitter / Steam / Xbox Live
Whatever is ideal for most, I'm pretty open, but I think Friday night would be ideal, what with the majority of folks being able to play late regardless of timezone. IL2 is very forgiving in the latency dept, so even overseas goodjers could get in on it.
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
I'm interested. Friday nights work OK for me.
Is there a better link for the AAA mod? One that doesn't require me to register on their forums, perhaps?
Xbox Live Gamercard - bennard | bennard on Steam
How does a torrent strike you?
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
I have a Track IR and many years of IL-2 expertise under my belt. Had I the time, I would shoot you all many times.
Steam, Live, AIM: DrJonezMD | My reviews: http://emajkut.blogspot.com/ | Twitter: http://twitter.com/emajkut
At one time, I think I could navigate with Russian radio and no subtitles... DrJonez.
What the hell are you talking about? They totally DO NOT have Tie Fighter. -Veloxi
You have time to review and blog and tweet, you have time to strap into a virtual 65 year old aircraft!
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
Someone somewhere needs to write a regular column that is just about community-made updates for PC games. I just posted about STALKER Complete 2009, and other recent posts here informed me about the ones for Myth, X-Wing Alliance, KOTOR II, Grim Fandango... and now IL-2 too.
It seems like every cool PC game is getting community-made updates to either bring the visuals & tech more up-to-date, and/or simply make the old game more friendly on modern PCs/OSs.
Rock Paper Shotgun talks about these sometimes, but there's a lot that I'm just now finding out about that I haven't been seeing on RPS.
You should follow me on Twitter: @legion
Steam: *Legion* | Xbox Live: Legion SB | PSN: Legion_SB | Origin: LegionSB
I'd micropay for that.
What the hell are you talking about? They totally DO NOT have Tie Fighter. -Veloxi
hmm does it have to be the 1946 version? I have forgotten battles and a few others, the '46 looks to be a compiliation.
Stylez also you using the Vector expansion?
also TrackIR v 5 should be out by now (they sent me an email about it)
Yeah TIR5 is out now and can be bought by following my link for a 20 buck discount
It doesn't need to be 1946, but it does have to be 4.09m I'm not sure if the Pacific Fighters/Aces Expansion stuff was included in any of the patches, but it's worth a shot I suppose!
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
Oooh.... I could be down for this next week some time.
Last.fm | Twitter
"Publishers still speak in hushed tones about el bunny de la muerte." - *Legion*
I'll see if i can find my disks. Probably the only time i'd have a shot to shoot someone down
Gamer Tag: Rantyr
From what I've found the upgrade from Forgotten battles can be pretty tricky. Here's a link on the UBI forum to help you out.
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
I spent the 10 bucks at GOG simply to avoid the PAIN.
Last.fm | Twitter
"Publishers still speak in hushed tones about el bunny de la muerte." - *Legion*
This is my recommended solution. I owned all the separate games + expansions and picked up 1946 just so I didn't have to install FB->Aces->Pacific-fighters->4.08m->4.09m
It's exhausting.
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
Awesome, I bought this on Steam last time it was on sale!
Crap, I'm out of town next week at a conference in Vegas
Hope you guys do this again, i'll bring my joystiq out of retirement.
This just in from Eli 7.4's playground: Apparently, girls go to college to get more knowledge, but boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider. -Bill Harris
Twitter | Xbox Live
Well I play fairly often, and hope to make a fairly regular meet-up out of it, so we'll catch you next time!
I'll update the Thread topic to include tomorrow evening as our first event. We'll go from there!
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
Oh man, I've never really kept up with the IL-2 world except for knowing I would dive into it "someday" (bought IL-2 on a Steam sale).
I didn't know that there was a Pacific theater version! I spent a childhood playing Aces of the Pacific. Pacific theater >>> European theater.
Dammit, I'm going to end up driving to Fry's to get a decent joystick this weekend. I just know it.
I don't need a badass 3-piece setup, but I think I need to upgrade from my ancient, rudderless CH Products F-16 stick. Suggestions? Maybe something like the Saitek Cyborg or Aviator sticks (both are ~$50)?
You should follow me on Twitter: @legion
Steam: *Legion* | Xbox Live: Legion SB | PSN: Legion_SB | Origin: LegionSB
I haven't read any reviews on them Legion, but as long as they meet the requirements of Rudder and Throttle and aren't complete ass I'd say go for it.
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
So, just asking --
For the multiplayer games we're rocking, do I ened to do that multi-gig, multi-file AAA installer shenaningans? I can, but I jsut spent an evening downloading 3 gigs for teh game and want to make sure Im not repating myself.
Last.fm | Twitter
"Publishers still speak in hushed tones about el bunny de la muerte." - *Legion*
It's totally optional for what we're going to be doing Rabbit, but if you have TrackIR with Vector support I highly recommend it as it also allows 6 degrees of freedom.
I'm not sure how many seeds are on that torrent I linked, but it's probably easier than signing up and downloading the files individually at AAA.
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
Holy sh*t, that Track IR thing is awesome. I mean, i've heard rabbit talk about it, and read about it, but that video just sold me. I have no idea how to explain this to the wife though.
This just in from Eli 7.4's playground: Apparently, girls go to college to get more knowledge, but boys go to Jupiter to get more stupider. -Bill Harris
Twitter | Xbox Live
Yeah it shows off pretty well in Arma:
here's some vids of TrackIR in use in IL2 and other flight sims
Demo of Gen 1 TrackIR in IL2
IL2 with 6DOF
Finally, TrackIR in black shark, made by one of the top flight sim machinima producers.
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
I'll try to show up. I actually got a TrackIR 4 about a month ago, didn't know they were about to come out with a new one. I may be a bit late since I don't get off of work until 8 Eastern time but should be on by 9.
XboxLive: georobGWJ Twitter: georobGWJ Steam: georob PSN: georobGWJ
The new software works with the old hardware, FYI. I'll start the AAA torrent tonight.
Last.fm | Twitter
"Publishers still speak in hushed tones about el bunny de la muerte." - *Legion*
An update before our mission for tonight.
We'll be playing version 4.08m, which as said previously can be easily changed using the AAA version switcher, or if you are not using AAA you can just patch up to 4.08m.
We will meet on the GWJ Vent server. The server does require that you have a username and password. I believe we have one or two admins interested tonight so they should be able to get you an account set up if need be. I'll be in the Civilization 4 room.
Depending on the overall comfort level of attendees we may jump right into an existing server or just set up a private one on my PC for some practice. Settings will be "not quite full real" in that external views are allowed, Icons are allowed, and the map will have your positional data on it. I'll be on Vent at 7 if anyone wants to get some early practice in!
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Xfire/Xbox Live: StylezXP
I'll be out up in San Jose during tonight's mission (but I will be coming home with my joystick!), but I hope you all really hit it off tonight, because I want to be there for a repeat performance.
You should follow me on Twitter: @legion
Steam: *Legion* | Xbox Live: Legion SB | PSN: Legion_SB | Origin: LegionSB